New Bighorn Armory Reloading Manual

[Les Staley]

BHA just gifted me an electronic copy of their new Reloading Manual for their big bore leverguns. 500 Linebaugh, 500 S&W, 500 Auto Max,460 S&W, 454 Casull, and 475 Linebaugh. I've been groping my way along with cast, gas checked and powder coated bullets, but now have some new parameters to work toward. It's copyright protected so I won't be posting any on the net, but contact them for a copy. They might charge something, but it's 21 pages of 18" barrel fun! Doc, you may already have seen it as a BHA customer, as that is why they sent me a copy.

[Griff]

That's some good customer service right there!

[Rusty]

It makes their rifles look better all the time.

[AJMD429]

Yep. Got mine, and was gonna post about it myself.

Nice to have a gun manufacture that SUPPORTS reloading instead of arbitrarily advising against it. Of course that's a good thing when you make rifles in "pistol calibers" like 500 S&W and 460 S&W....!

I can't see Marlin supporting reloading anything 'hot' in the 45-70, for instance, although they at least made some 450 Marlin's that will use factory loads that are 'modern' - i.e. 400 grains at 2023 fps for 3,636 fps or a 52 Taylor Knock Out factor. (I'm thinking the TKO is the better parameter to use when evaluating big-bore rounds, but lots of different opinions out there.)

Nevertheless, in the Big Horn Armory SANCTIONED reloading data, I see a 500 S&W load using a 370 grain hard-cast at 2209 fps - for 4008 ft-lb or 58 Taylor Knock Out factor - pretty awesome.....

I'll admit, the fastest they are willing to publish for a 500 grain bullet is a bit over 1,700 fps, which would give 3,200 ft-lbs, and TKO's just over 60, and from what I've heard from 45-70 aficionados, the heavier bullets is where the 45-70 would 'best' the 500 S&W, but I'm not familiar with many 'Guide-Gun' loads or 'Ruger-Only' loads out there in the 500 grain class. I do have a 45-70 load for a 540 grain bullet at 1550 that generates 2,880 ft-lbs with a TKO of 54, which is close, but I believe is a 'Ruger-Only' load (even if not, I'm betting it is NOT a reload that Marlin would likely sanction in print); and though it hopefully would never come into play, the Model 89 holds 7 in the magazine instead of 4, plus is a shorter cartridge, for slightly shorter/faster lever throw....

Anyhow, ANY of the big-bores (444 Marlin, 45-70, 500 S&W, and others) are PLENTY of medicine for the fang-and-claw class, or the really big herbivores.....but it is nice to see a manufacturer with the balls to endorse 'reloading'....!

[vancelw]

They will send it to anyone with an email address

https://mailchi.mp/9fd48d0fad9b/big-hor ... ign=buffer

[Les Staley]

They will send it to anyone with an email address. Great news! You guys will like it. I'm already loading a few for testing in 460 S&W magnum.

[AJMD429]

Might be useful for the Handi-Rifles they made in 500 S&W too, although I don't know their strength.... The 89 could well be stronger.

[vancelw]

They will send it to anyone with an email address. Great news! You guys will like it. I'm already loading a few for testing in 460 S&W magnum.

Does that link I posted work? I wasn't sure if it depended on cookies stored on my device or not.
I downloaded it and put it on my Kindle already.

I don't have a BHA. Might be interested in a 454 or 450 version someday.